Connecting rod



May 23, 1939 F. E. KUNG ET AL CONNECTING ROD Filed Dec. 30, 1936 Patented May 23, 1939 CONN ECTING ROD Fred E. Kling, Youngstown, Ohio, and Harry Frederick Shaw, McKeesport, Pa.

Application December 30, 1936, Serial No. 118,406

Claims. (Cl. i4-579) This invention relates particularly to connecting-rods that are adapted to be used on river boats or the like, and has for one of its objects the provision of a strong, sturdy connecting-rod.

Another object of this invention is to provide a connecting-rod which has a long life and requires but a minimum of maintenance work thereon.

The above and further objects will be made apparent by referring to the following description and the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of one embodiment of our invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line II-II of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation on line III- III of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation on line IV-IV of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation on line V-V of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged elevation of one end of our connecting-rod after the wedge-shaped portion has been removed and before the bifurcated arms have been moved together; and

Figure 7 is an elevation of Figure 6 after the bifurcated arms have been secured together.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 2 indicates generally a connecting-rod which includes a beam 4, preferably an I-beam, having ends 6 and 8 and a web I Il. The beam 4 may be of any desired or standard shape and has an upper flange I2 and a lower flange I4. A short length of the web I0 is entirely cut out at the end 6 so that the flanges I2 and I4 longitudinally extend a distance from the web I0. Furthermore, a wedge-shaped portion is cut from that portion of the web I0 adjacent the end 6. The *base of the wedge-shaped portion cut from the beam 4 is adjacent the end 6 and the altitude of the portion preferably extends along the axis of the beam 4.

When the wedge-shaped portion was cut from the web II), bifurcated arms I6 and I'I were formed in the beam 4. The arms I6 and I'I were then bent toward the axis until they contacted each other. The arms I6 and I'I were then welded together so that that portion of the web I0 again was made solid.

In order to strengthen the portions of the connecting-rod 2 directly connecting with a pistonrod or other driving apparatus, bars or metallic members I8 and I9 are welded or otherwise secured to the outer surfaces of the flanges I2 and I4 at the end 6 of the beam. The bars I8 and I9 may be narrower than the flanges and the flanges then should be cut down to the size of the bars I8 and I9. Aligned apertures 20 and 2I are provided through the flange I2 and the bar I8 and the flange I4 and the bar I9, respectively, for connecting a driving member to the connectingrod 2. A brace, or reenforcing member 22, is welded or otherwise secured between the flanges I2 and I4 at the end of the web Il). Plates 24 may be used to reenforce the web IIJ adjacent the brace 22.

The end 8 of the beam 4 is provided with means such as a forged steel dead eye bearing-arm 26 having a bearing 28 for securing the connectingrod 2 to a paddle-wheel crank, or other similar device. The bearing 28 is adapted to journal the paddle-wheel crank-pin therein. The lbearingarm 26 is secured to the web IU by any suitable means and extends axially from the beam 4.

It will be evident that the bearing 28 and the end 8 of the connecting-rod are exposed to the action of the elements as well as water thrown from the paddle-wheel when connected thereto. These parts should, therefore, be constructed and arranged to resist the repeated wettings which they receive. Furthermore, the water thrown upon the bearing often contains sand, grit, or the like, so that the bearing 28 should also be adapted to form a sand-tight, as well as water-tight, connection with the paddle-wheel crank-pin.

While we have shown and described a specic embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that we do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as dened by the following claims.

We claimt 1. A connecting-rod having an I-beam body portion, said beam having a portion of the web entirely removed from between the flanges at one end thereof, metallic reenforcing means secured to the outer surface of the flanges adjacent said end and extending beyond the end of the web, a reenforcing brace secured between the flanges next to the end of said web, means for securing said end to a driving means, and means carried by the opposite end for securing the same to a driven means.

2. A connecting-rod having an I-beam body portion, the flange portions at least at one end of said beam extending beyond the end of the web portion thereof, said beam being formed so that at least the height thereof gradually decreases toward that end of said beam, metallic reenforclng members secured at least to the outer surface of each of said ange portions, means carried by said end for attaching the same to a driving means, and means carried by the opposite end of said beam for attaching the same to a driven means.

3. A connecting-rod having an I-beam body portion, the flanges at one end of said beam adapted to extend, beyond the end of said web, said beam being formed so that at least the height of said beam gradually decreases toward said end, metallic reenforcing members secured to the outer surfaces of said flanges adjacent the portions extending beyond the end of the web, reenforcing members secured between said flanges next to said web, the extending portions of said metallic members and flanges having aligned apertures therethrough for connecting said beam to a driving means, and a member secured to and extending longitudinally from the web at the opposite end of said beam for connecting a driven means thereto.

arranged on each end of said beam for connecting the same torespective driving and driven means.

5. A connecting rod having an I-beam body portion, said beam having a portion of the web entirely removed from between the flanges at least at one end thereof, reenforcing means secured to the outer surface of the flanges and between the flanges adjacent the web portion of the beam at said end, and means arranged on each end of said beam for connecting the same to a respective driving and driven means.

FRED E. KLING.

HARRY FREDERICK SHAW. 

